A Year Without a Christmas

With Christmas 3 days away, I thought it appropriate to have another post on Christmas... It's such a big day that people anticipate all year round. My title was inspired by five minutes of thinking, and so basically I'm winging it. Last year, I was gone for Christmas... my parents, sisters and I were out of country. Our Christmas' are awesome! I mean, we open presents, eat, decorate for the family dinner, open more presents once grandparents, friends, and uncles and aunts come over. Then we eat some more, then we sit and talk and then have dessert. Last Christmas though, we had none of that. It was like someone took away everything from me, and I couldn't get any of it back. It was the hardest Christmas yet. Russia didn't celebrate their Christmas in December, but in January, so I didn't get to see the beautiful decorations in the malls or on the streets. We didn't do presents, we didn't do Christmas... at least, not the way everyone understands it to be. We were having a hard time on I think would be either Christmas Eve, or Christmas day. My parents decided they should pray about it, and so they did. God showed them that Christmas is an attitude, not just a day. It's not about presents, the food, the family coming over, and the decorations. It's about giving, love, and joy. I mean, what would Christmas be without those things. It would be a party of receiving gifts and giving them because it was traditional.  So, we did end up having Christmas when we got home, and it's all good now :) Although it was a very hard month in Russia, I'm so happy that God taught me about Christmas, and why he did what he did.
God GAVE his Son out of LOVE to bring us salvation and JOY.

Love,
Katherine

Christmas Presents

Christmas is like my favorite time of the year for several reasons. First, it's a reminder of the best gift I have ever received, it's a celebration time with all of my family, and I absolutely LOVE the decorations! But, as my title suggests, I'm not talking about the lights, decorations or the family. I'm talking about presents. I always get so caught up in the material presents, sometimes forgetting the greatest Gift ever, Jesus. I wish that I could say that even if I didn't get any presents that I would be overjoyed and satisfied with Jesus and salvation, but I can't just yet. So, if the meaning of Christmas, the reason we celebrate it, and the reason it exists is because of Jesus coming down to save us, then why aren't we focusing on him as much as we should? A lot Christians focus on Him closer to December 25, while others start in December and NEVER start. Christmas isn't a day, it's a sort of spirit... Not a spiritual being, but an attitude. So when you're getting your Christmas presents try and imagine if you hadn't got any this year. If you can imagine it, and be okay with it, then you have a gift. The gift of a grateful heart for the things that truly matter.

Love,
Katherine

The Meaning of Christmas

Sorry to blast your child fantasy into a blivion, but Santa isn't the meaning of Christmas. Not even close. Let that soak in. Okay, let's move on. So in the Bible the Christmas story is relayed a few times. An angel comes to Mary, she gets pregnant by way of the Holy Spirit. Her pledged to be husband Joseph is then freaked out, and almost divorces/leaves her. Mary is shunned and is very close to being stoned to death. But that wouldn't move God's plan along or help it any, so he gave Caesar the brilliant idea of having a census. By the time Joseph reaches Bethlehem, Mary is ready to pop, and she does. So adorable baby Jesus is born. The reason God sent Jesus down is because of love. He wanted Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the world to experience the love of God. He made us out of love, he saved us out of love. It all comes down to LOVE. Jesus is the meaning of Christmas, but Jesus is love. "That's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown"

Love,
Katherine

Thanksgiving

I cannot believe that I missed a post on Thanksgiving! This is terrible! Okay, well it's belated, but I can still do one :)

The Bible says to give thanks to God in everything, but why is it that usually we only think about being thankful for things in November. Honestly? I've heard it put in this really good way, What if everything you said you were thankful for today was all you had tomorrow? For me, I would only have Jesus, my family and my friends. Nothing else. But that changed. I realized that if God gave it to me, he can certainly take it away. I mean, imagine, you give a lot to a child but they don't have an ounce of visible gratitude. They just take it for granted like "Yay! I now have more than I did". You are like, "come on, a simple 'thank you' would be nice." We're like the kid. God gives us gifts, lots of them, and if we're not grateful for the things he has given us, do you think that he'll want to give us more? He loves us, but that doesn't mean that he sometimes resents the things he gives us. So, what is our choice going to be? We choose to be thankful, in fact, it's not even part of our sin nature. Crazy right? :) Don't just choose to be thankful in the month of November, but everyday, all year.

Love,
Katherine

Halloween!

Halloween is a day where, as my brothers understand it, you get to dress up in an awesome costume and then get lots of candy. It seems so innocent. The real story behind it is not very appealing. (You can read for yourself at the Answers in Genesis website) The real fact of the matter is that Halloween is a cultic day. It is a day that Satan has tried (and mostly succeeded) to own. We as God's people have to take a stand against what is wrong and what is evil. So what can we do??? Don't take part in the normal Halloween things... the freakiness of it all. You can "celebrate" this Halloween by celebrating God and His power, his faithfulness, the fact that he defeated death and brought us life, and the fact that we don't belong to Satan anymore. Look at Halloween though a child's eyes, but also realize the darkness that is associated with. Take part in the innocent side of Halloween, the fun of eating candy and occasionally dressing up. My family used to skip Halloween, go to the beach for a weekend, eat candy and have a whole bunch of fun. It was innocent, and fun, but without Halloween.

 

Love,

Katherine

He Calls me Lovely

Girls, this post applies almost only to you.

This morning she looked in the mirror in dismay,
She took one look at her reflection and cringed.
"Why God, did you make me this way?"
She turned away quickly, then looked at her body,
"Why God, did you make me so fat?"
She skipped her breakfast, and forgot her lunch,
Though her friends said she was pretty, and thin.
She said "Whatever" and thought they were lying.
Her parents were busy with other things,
And did not pay attention, their love was still there,
Just not in the same form.
She was so tired of not trusting
Those who loved her the most.
But she was self-conscious, and afraid that what she saw was what others saw too.
Days passed by in utter frustration at the God who created her in his image.
One very late night, in her bedroom, she was crying tears of pain.
Then she heard a voice saying your lovely to me.
She said, "No I'm ugly, fat, and worthless,
How could anyone see me as lovely?"
The voice replied, "how could anyone see you as ugly?
I made you for a purpose. I made you for a reason.
You are my delight and my joy.
Never forget, I call you lovely".

Love,
Katherine

You Can be a Hero

You can be a hero. You don't need to be a soldier or be in other known hero occupations. You can be a hero in your school, (Co-op counts too) church , or even on the streets. If you just talk to someone, you could change their life. They could have told God that if no one talked to them that day, they would kill themselves. They could be in depression. They could have no family. They could feel unloved. You don't know. But because the most amazing hero lives in you, you can be a hero. I love Super Chic(k)'s song Hero. That song inspired me to write this post. It is so eye opening and spot on that I recommend you looking it up and listening to it. I know that there are so many teens imparticular who struggle with suicide. They don't feel loved. They don't think they "fit in". They are so pressured to be a certain way (that is impossible to be for most people) that they can't bear being alive. That's when you can save their life. Talk to people who don't have like any friends. Listen to them and pray for them. It could change their lives and most importantly their decision. Don't just settle into your clique or exclude yourself from other people. Life is a gift, I just wish that every one knew how precious it is.

Love,
Katherine